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Swimming is the most dangerous thing to do according to new research by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), which is urging people to fight their instincts.

The research revealed that more than half of the population would follow a life-threatening instinct if they unexpectedly fell into water, which is to start swimming as hard as they can.

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The RNLI found that 162 people drowned last year and are telling the public to “fight your instincts, not the water to help stay alive”.

A spokesman for the RNLI said: “Sudden immersion in cold water puts these people at severe risk of suffering cold water shock, which triggers the instinctive but life-threatening reaction to gasp uncontrollably and swim hard, which can quickly lead to drowning.”

Mike Tipton, Professor of Human and Applied Physiology at the University of Portsmouth, said: “We often rely on our instincts but our instinctive response to sudden immersion in cold water – gasping, thrashing and swimming hard – is potentially a killer.

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“It increases chances of water entering your lungs, increases the strain on your heart, cools the skin further and lets air escape from any clothing, which then reduces buoyancy.

Treading water and not swimming could be the key to surviving in water (Image: Getty File Image)

“Although it’s counter-intuitive, the best immediate course of action in that situation is to fight your instinct and try to float, just for a short time.

“The effects of cold water shock will pass quite quickly, within 60-90 seconds. Floating for this short time will let you regain control of your breathing and your survival chances will greatly increase.

The RNLI’s national drowning prevention campaign, Respect the Water, is in its fourth year and was created to raise safety awareness and save lives.

“If people in danger in the water can help themselves initially by floating and regaining control of their breathing, they stand a much greater chance of surviving.

“Through our Respect the Water campaign, we want to start a national conversation about water safety. We’re asking the public to remember this lifesaving advice, share with others and practice the survival skill of floating – it could be the difference between life and death.”